


Endgame Start

by XrosaryX



Series: Redacted: [Your Heart] [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akechi is basically Connor, Alternate Universe - No Personas (Persona Series), Gen, Inspired by Detroit: Become Human, No Metaverse (Persona 5), Persona AU, Ren and Akira were twins, Ren is Markus of course
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-06-24 09:35:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15627858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XrosaryX/pseuds/XrosaryX
Summary: The waves of change and rebellion are in motion...





	Endgame Start

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer Time! I don't own anything pertaining to the Persona series or from Detroit Become Human.
> 
> I'm not quite sure where to go with this, but we shall see! I hope you all enjoy it!

**"We have come to overthrow the chains that keep us captive. We have come to steal our freedom...We are the Phantom Thieves of Heart! We shall and will become free."**

The message had shook the city to its core as the news continued to broadcast and cover the story after such an announcement.

The group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves finally solidifying themselves into every citizens' minds in Tokyo.

They had only been a mere whisper of doubt at the start of the year.

A group of rogue androids, deviants actually, that began to bring out the corruption in society into the light.  It had all started in April and now the heading towards November a steady stream of events that began to have humanity question themselves and their android companions. 

Was it truly possible that androids were more than mere robots?

There was no more peace, and the Phantom Thieves had started a tidal wave of change over Tokyo.

The announcement had been made at the beginning of the month and Sae Niijima was slowly beginning to wonder if she was ever going to come close enough to solving and apprehending the Phantom Thieves. While androids, there was no possible way to locate them through the main system that linked all current active androids in the city. As soon as an android turned deviant, it no longer was connected to the main network and it wasn't uncommon for them to remove their LED either once they fled from their owners.

It was truly frightening when one lingered in thought that without their uniform and LED, they truly did blend into human society. Sae herself had run into her fair share of deviants that she would have mistaken for humans if she hadn't been given the case report beforehand. 

With that in mind it had been a real issue for her to attempt to search the city for the group. The true question being...Where to begin?

"Niijima-san?"

"...What Akechi?"

Ah...And she also had...Him.

The android had been assigned to her as a partner of sorts, a smiling brunette with bright red eyes that trailed behind her like a puppy when she came to work.

The name shared to her for the android was Akechi Goro.

The android was helpful and provided insight she wouldn't realize. He helped interrogate deviants much better, ensuring the androids being questioned they were safe and had prevented less instability program breakdowns. Akechi's functions allowed him to analyze the scene of the crime in a manner of minutes and gave the information they needed in record time.

One thing Sae found positive was that he didn't belittle her for her sex.

Despite her reputation, few coworkers and even her boss still treated her snidely. Akechi found nothing wrong about her being a woman and often voiced out that she worked efficiently and hard when he had saw a lack of such work ethics in the rest of them.

He was tolerable...Yet Sae wasn't entirely comfortable about him.

Too perfect.

The ideal android that followed commands and did his tasks with no problems.

She felt so...

_"Inferior."_

Inferior to an android, wasn't that so mundane? It was typical to feel that way though wasn't it? Akechi was perfect and she....

"Niijima-san?"

"Yes...Yes what is it Akechi?" she finally spoke as he drew closer, "I'm surprised you didn't show up when I came in." 

"I was currently preoccupied with something else," Akechi replied to her before leaning forward to stare at her laptop screen, "The same again? The Phantom Thieves?"

"What else?" Sae scoffed as Akechi stepped away, "That announcement has gotten everyone on edge...We need to get to the bottom of this eventually." Her fingers press against her closed eyelids as she shook her head, "It's truly a spectacle...How a bunch of deviants had caused such a ruckus in just within one year."

"That's where you're wrong."

Sae dropped her hand before allowing herself to narrow her eyes towards Akechi, "Wrong on which account?"

"Actually...The leader has been doing this for much longer," her companion informed her as he stared down at her, “I was curious. How was it the Phantom Thieves managed to get so much standing within the year. Surely yes, they have exposed quite a number of influential figures, but even then they were still presently supported. A minimal amount of supporters, but they were supported before they got bigger."

"Their leader...Isn't he going by the name Joker?"

The android had been clever deactivating his skin, but he had also wore a white and black mask to cover his features when Sae had recalled the recording that was broadcast. It already had been difficult to try and recognize what android type he was. The mask only seemed to mock them even more.

A way to say that they would never uncover him and his group....

"Affirmative!" Akechi smiled and Sae could only scowl as he lightly brushed his hair out of his eyes. The too human like motion made her cringe a bit before forcing herself to relax as she nodded for him to go on, "Joker was acting alone...It has only been recently that he had established the Phantom Thieves. I grew curious about him...I looked into any previous records and I've found a few. They were often more sporadic compared to the present, but still delivering quite an impact even with such a short lived duration in the news. I was quite surprised we didn't find this sooner. Such a link was so little it could be missed or dismissed..."

 _"More like how you didn't,"_  Sae sighed as she turned in her seat to watch Akechi take out a small notebook from his pocket to hand to her. She should feel insulted he bothered to even write down everything for her in his personalized notebook.

Being an android he could easily store all information into that brain of his and could have transferred the information into some file for her to read later. Instead he wrote it out for her to read...It was as if he was just poking at the fact she might get lost trying to keep up. 

"Stolen biocomponents from major shipping docks for the top android selling companies. Missing androids from minor celebrities that were exposed with scandals soon after by findings given to the media about those celebrities going to rather shady android linked businesses that angered the public," Akechi informed her as she skimmed over the pages at the dates and related crimes, "It was never reported in great detail and the times for such things were so irregular it disappeared in the minds of whoever was assigned to investigate it."

"In the past Joker did all this, but what's the point of it now in the present Akechi? Joker and the Phantom Thieves are still at large," Sae argued as she closed the notebook and set it on her desk, "We shouldn't be looking deep into the past! We need results now and find them immediately!"

Akechi shook his head, "Niijima-san, the point being...There were two Jokers."

That got her to tense up, “Two?”

“Two,” Akechi repeated before opening his notebook again and turning it to a page that had dates scribbled on the lines, “Joker’s first theft was from a popular android chain store in a small town three hours from the city. It was with a prototype model, and unfortunately the only model that was only meant to be used for just a promotional event.”

“Done last year in January,” Sae added as she studied the dates, “And then from there the dates are carefully spaced until of March of this year. Then in April it started up again with the Kamoshida scandal.”

“Right and the difference of his activity compared to the past is alarming,” Akechi finished as she glared at the page, “The first Joker from last year left nothing, but this second one mirrors the first…Yet with a calling card instead.”

Was it possible though? How could no one realize this?

Sae could feel a migraine coming as she pressed her fingers against her temples before exhaling loudly. If that were the case, was it possible to track down this first Joker? This new bit of information was going to have her backtrack and try to piece together this puzzle that was already hurting her brain. 

“I have more news that may be of help,” her companion spoke again as he took his notebook back, “Though…It may take a while before I share it with you Niijima-san.”

Sae's lips tugged downward with a twitch as Akechi tucked his notebook away into his pocket, “And why can’t you tell me this news now Akechi? Surely if you’re withholding information that’s vital…”

Akechi paused before adjusting his tie and giving her a small smile, “I would, but I am unsure if what I’ve come to learn is true.”

His LED flashed yellow to green immediately which made Sae raise an eyebrow at the quick change of color. She had never seen his LED go to a different color so quickly and pushed the thought away as he stepped close to her. He was still smiling and she resisted recoiling away as he gently patted her on the shoulder, “Be assured, when I’m certain this information is truly beneficial…I will tell you. Then we will truly end the Phantom Thieves.”

Sae gritted her teeth, but she turned herself around to face her laptop and sighed. Her fingers poised over the keyboard as she began to type, “Alright…Fine Akechi.” Akechi cleared his throat before walking away, “I’ll get you some coffee Niijima-san…Ah, by the way. How is your sister?”

Sae’s fingers halted at the question before shaking her head, “Makoto’s alright, why do you ask?”

“…Just curious. You should spend some time with her is all. Excuse me Niijima-san.” With that the android left her office as Sae pressed her fingers against her eyes.

Why was he assigned to her?

**Author's Note:**

> The stories in the series will be out of order, but I only hope that you all enjoy the series!
> 
> Thank you for reading! See you next time!


End file.
